New UGCC Parish of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God Established in Berestyn, Kharkiv Oblast
With the blessing of Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv, on the eve of the Feast of Pentecost, a parish of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was established in the town of Berestyn (Krasnohrad) in the Kharkiv region.
This was reported by the press service of the Kharkiv Exarchate.
On Trinity Memorial Saturday, the local Greek Catholic community participated in a solemn memorial service and a public memorial ceremony of those who died as a result of Russian aggression.
Following the prayer at the local cemetery, where the defenders of Ukraine are buried in the Alley of Heroes, commemorative plaques honoring the fallen soldiers, located in the city’s Central Square, were consecrated. The participants then prayed the Rosary together.
At the community’s invitation, Fr. Vyacheslav Trush arrived in Berestyn along with the faithful from the city of Lozova to celebrate the services. Representatives of the Ukrainian Youth Association also joined in organizing the events.
From now on, every Saturday at 2:00 PM, a public rosary prayer will take place on the city’s Central Square, near the statue of the Mother of God.
The history of the Greek Catholic presence in this area dates back several centuries. At various times, members of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church lived and worked in the region, including gas industry specialists who arrived here from Galicia. However, due to the persecution of the Church during the Soviet era, the community was unable to practice its faith openly.
After Ukraine regained its independence, local Greek Catholics attended services in Kharkiv, Pokotylivka, and Poltava. A turning point in the community’s development came in 2014, when Fr. Maksym Krolevskyi began regularly visiting Krasnohrad to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and administer the Holy Sacraments. Fr. Yuriy Krolevskyi also joined in the pastoral care of the community.
Today, regular liturgical life is being re-established in the Greek Catholic community of Berestyn. Given the significant distance from other parishes of the UGCC, the newly established Parish of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God is called to become a center of spiritual life for local faithful and to contribute to the further development of the Greek Catholic community in the Kharkiv region.
The UGCC Department for Information
